Rail-straightening mill.



B. A. BASS & R. D. OSGOOD.

RAIL STRAIGHTENING MILL.

APPLICATION TILED DEO.30,1912.

1,071,861. Patented Sept. 2,1913.

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APPLICATION FILED DEC. 30, 11112.

1,071,861 Patented Sept. 2, 1913. h

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HAIL STRAIGHTENING MILL.

APPLICATION FILED D130. 30. 1912.

Patented Sept. 2, 1913.

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UNITED PATENT OFFICE.

BENTON A. BASS AND ROLLIN OSGOOD, OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA.

RAIL-STRAIGHTENING MILL.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, BENTON A. Bass and Roman l). Osoooo, citizens of the United States of America residing at Birmingham, in the county of Jetl'erson and State of Alabama, have invented certain new and useful Im novements in Rail- Straightening Mills, of which the following is a specification.

()ur invention relates to an improved railroad-rail straightening machine comprising a series of lower rolls which operate alternate-1y with reference to oppositely disposed pairs of top and side rolls, and the objects of our improvement are, first, to straighten crooked rails by applying pressure upon the base and web of the rail at the same time; second, to straighten a rail with a crook near the end third, to straighten a twisted rail; and fourth, to reduce the injury done to a rail by the present methods where the rail is hammered or the fiber of the steel broken down.

\Ve attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whieh':-,-

Figure l is a top view of the entire machine. .l ig. 2 is a side view of the same.

l igs. 3, 6 and 3 are partial views showing relative positions of ditterent co-acting rolls in the machine. Fig. 1- is a vertical section of a part of the machine on the line l4 of Fig. .1. Fig. 5 1s a top view oi a part of the machine as it appears with the top roll and housings removed on the line 55 of big. i. Fig. (5 is a vertical view of part of the machine on the line (3 6 of Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a horizontal view of the finishing end on the line T--7 of Fig. 8, and Fig. 8 is a vertical section of part of the machine on the line S--8 of Fig. 1.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The machine, in its preferred embodiment, comprises the base 1 upon which a series of housings 2 are bolted and each dis- )osed midway between bearin 's 3 which are l integral with the base and serve to support:- rolls 4 and 41-. 'lhese rolls have grooves 5 and 5 turned in their centers to fit the head 01' a rail. From the rail receiving end of the machine, which is at the right oi. Fig.1, thespaces between'the centers of adjacent bottom rolls gradually decrease until the dist-aiice'between the centers of the last Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 30, 1912.

Patented Sept. 2, 1913. Serial no) 739,372.

means of hexagon bushings (3 (see Fig. 7).

Each

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gears sha it of the bottom rolls is driven by a gear an extension of its trunnion, which each mesh with a bevel gear 8 on a line 9, which is mounted in suitable bearings it) and driven by a train of gears 11,

l2, l5 and 14- from the motor 15. "0 provitle bearings it) for the trunnion adjacent to the gears 7 and mount these hearings on the base 1 at one side thereof. Half way between the axial centers of each pair of bot,- tom rolls and equi-distant from the longi: tudinal center line of their grooves 5 are set two side rolls to which are mounted on vertical axes 18 which, except for the rolls i, are formed integral with blocks 17. These blocks are transversely adjustable on a raised central portion It) oi the base 1 by means of a screw shaft 20 mounted against axial movement in bearings 21 fixed on the base. These shattsiit) are controlled by hand wheels 22 mounted on one end oi the shaft which projects toward the operatofs side of the machine to bring the wheel into convenient position. The threaded portion of the shaft is enlarged and its ends engage the bearings .21 to hold the screw against longitudinal movement. The blocks lihave reversely threaded transverse openings to receive the screw which has its threads which engage one block given a reversev pitch to the threads which engage the opposite block so that by turning the hand wheel 22 the blocks which support a courting pair of rolls 16 may be drawn together or sepa rated to relatively adjust the rolls. To maintain the axes 18 of the rolls 16 and the bearings 21 in transverse alincment, the blocks 17 and bearings have bottom tongues 23 which work in transverse grooves 2+1: in

the raised central portion 19 of the base- The rolls 4 are set down in openings in this portion 19 which is raised slightly above the side portions of the bed that support the housings 2, and extend lengthwise of the bed to but not under the bearings for the lastset of rolls 4.

Above each pair of side rolls 16 is a top roll with its axis in the'same vertical transverse plane with the axes of its respective side rolls. These top rolls revolve in bearings 26 which slide in the housings 2 and are adjusted up and down by means of screws 27 which are screwed down through suitable threaded openings in the tops of the housings 2 and have their upper squared ends in sliding engagement with bevel gears 28 which turn on a suitable faced bearing on the top of the housing. The gears 28 for adjusting the bearings at each end of a roll are simultaneously and equally adjusted by means of gears 29 mounted on a cross shaft 30, which turns in bearings 31 bolted to the inner sides of the tops of housings. We

provide a hand wheel 32 for each shaft near the operators side of the machine. The housings at their upper ends are braced togetherby cross rods 33 which have their outer ends reduced so that the shoulders thus formed will 'engagethe inner sides of.

the housing while the reduced ends pass through suitable openings in the housings and have nuts or heads 3 1 thereon to hold the housings together. The lower ends'of the adjusting screws 27 are turned smooth V. and grooved to receive transverse pins 35 which pass through the bearings and groove and hold the parts assembled. The rolls 25 have their central faces flattened and taper to each side Where they engage a short coiled spring 36 which surrounds the trun'nicns of the roll and are interposed between it and its bearing 26, thus permitting the roll to have a slight axial play in its bearings.

In view'of the crowded condition of the rolls 4 at the delivery end of the machine, where, if possible, the last pair are brought with their centers within twelve inches of each other, we have found it necessary to modify the construction of the several rolls and their mountings somewhat.

Referringto Fig. 1, it will be seen that the housings for the top rolls 25, which are shorter than rolls 25, are brought closer together/ and the bed of the machine correspondingly narrowed. In Fig. 2, it will be seen that the housings are not so high for the rolls 25 as they have a less diameter thanrolls 25 and are preferably turned without a taper toward the ends. T he gears 7 and S which drive rolls 4? are designed to drive them with the same surface speed as that of rolls 4. The housing 2 for the first roll 25 is similar to housing 2 only smaller, and-the bearing for the first roll 1 is also similar to that for the rolls 4, but the manner of mounting the first two pairs of rolls s illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8 and di-fi'ers antifriction meta].

somewhat from the mounting of rolls 16.

Here each roll 16? is mounted on a separate bearing block 37 which has a bottom T-head tongue 38 that slides in a correspondingly shaped transverse groove in the bed 1. We use set screws 39 which are screwed through bosses 10 in the housings 2 and are held in rotatable engagement with the blocks 37by pins 35 which work in grooves in the screws. Hand wheels 41 are used to turn the screws 39. These hand wheels, which are arranged on both sides of the mill, will permit. a pair of the rolls 4 to be adjusted to either side of the center line to give the rail a sweep or curve to one side or the other and this curve may be purposely left in the rail when it is desired to deliver a finished rail with a determined side curve, or the side sweep thus given the rail may be taken out by the last pair or pairs of side-rolls and bottom rolls.

The rolls 16 turri' on stub shaft-s 18 integral ,with 37 and may have their inner and bottom bearing faces suitably lined with It will be noted that the. rolls 1 6 and 16 areleft free to adjust themselves vertically on their respective stub shafts, which is important in that it permits the side guide rolls, when engaged by the rail head or base, to adiust themselves in a verticalline and follow the rail While it is being straightened bythe action of the top and bottom rolls. The bottom rolls 4* do not have the taper sides totheir rail head grooves 5 which are shallower than grooves 5. The rods 33 and nuts 34 are omitted for the sake of clearness from Figs. 1 and 2.

In the case of the last or finishing rolls 4, We provide a common bearing for these in the form of two adjustable blocks 42 which are set in a depression at the end ofthe base termediate portion 19 of the base and providmg a flat base A. '(Fig. 8) whlch has a transverse alining slot to receive the tongues in the blocks. Set screws 39 are connected to and act to adjust the blocks 12 like the blocks 37, both of which blocks have integral stub shafts 18 for the side rolls 16' which are preferably left free thereon for vertical adjustment in the same manner as .1 which is formed by stopping the raised inthe rolls 16. 'As the last two top rolls 25 are so close together, we mount them in a double housing 46 in which are two slots to receive the bearing blocks 26. It will be noted that these bearing blocks26 have flanges at their inner ends which engage the. side walls of the groove and hold the blocks against outward movement. To remove these blocks it is only necessary to loosen the screw bolts 46 (Fig. 4), which hold the housings 2, 2 and 16 and move them outwardly. The several adiustable blocks 17 which support the side rolls 16 are provided with upwardly inclined guides 47 (Figsrti and 6) and it will be notediii Fig. 2 that we illustrate delivering and receiving rolls 4S and 19, respectively, for delivering the rail 50 to and receiving it from the mill.

To feed the rail into the mill we provide a pinch roll 51 disposed above the first bottom roll 4. A gear wheel 52 turns with this roll t and meshes with a similar gear 53 fixed on a trunnion ol the pinchroll. The bearing blocks for the ph ch roll 51 are pressed downwardly yieldingly by springs 54 interposed between them and screw blocks which slide in housings 5(3. Separate hand wheels 57 are used to adjust the screw blocks and regulatethe tension on the springs which hold the pinch roll to its work.

In operation, a rail 50 to be straightened, should be first curved in a rail curving machine in any desirable manner so that it comes to the delivery rolls 48 curved with its head on a shorter radius than its base (see Fig. 5). The rail as thus curved is turnedby any suitable mechanism so as to bring its head in the under or low position and it is then introduced between the pinch .roll 51and the first roll 4, the head of the rail entering the groove 5 in the latter roll. As stated, when it is desired to put a side sweep' in the rail on to give it a side curvature and then take it out, this can be accomplished by the adjustment of the end pairs of side rolls 16 to one side or the other of the longitudinal eenter line of the mill. As the. pinch rolls draw the, rail into the mill, its downwardly curving forward end will strike the guides 47, which will steer its head between the first pair of side rolls l6 and under the-first top roll 25; The head of the rail will engage the under sidesTif the rolls 1.6 and the latter are free to rise with it while holding it in the center line of travel. The rail then passes on uiit'il its head entersf the groove 5 in the second hottom roll 4,-"whereupon, due to its arch, pres sure is brought to bear on its base flange by roll: and at thesatne time one or the other of the 'side' rolls it will apply pressure on a side oftlie rail. The top roll 25 presses the front end of the rail downwardly againstt'and between the first two rolls 4 whiclih at the time are supporting it. This operation is repeated as the head of the rail travels from one to the other ofthe rolls t and 4: in traversing the m ill.it being noted that the rolls 4, and 16, at the entrance are set so as to take only a piirto'f the bend out of the rail, as shown in Fig. 3 where it is seen they have a wide operating clearance which is gradually reduced as ,seen in Figs. 3 and 3 until. at the finishing end the clearance disappears and the rail is gripped on all sides by the rolls and held straight so that all distortion is taken out ex ept within six inches of the end of the rail. By this means the rail is gradually bent in stages point to be noted however is that in thus gradually straightening the rail, side and top rolls are arranged to co-act on the rail at the same time and exert their straightening force in the same transverse plane of the rail which thus has its twists or curves in both vertical and horizontal planes treated simultaneously and gradually removed, and when this is the case the rail will remain in the position to which it is bent after each operation without having a tendency to spring out of line in one direction when it is straightenedin another, as occurs in the present practice where the rail is treated in dill'erent mills for removing its curvature in ditlerent planes. Since the steel from which the rails are rolled will have different percentages o't' carbon, our mill is made flexible so that we can vary the amount of pressure required to straighten a rail. return table may be provided adjacent to the mill so that in passing the first rail of heat through the mill, it it is not straightened in its first passage it may be returned to the delivery rolls 48 and again passed through the mill after the rolls therein have been readjusted. When the mill has been thus adjusted for the rail of any one heat, the other rails of that heat, rr rails in which the steel has a like carbon content, can generally be rolled without requiring t'urther adjustment.

Though we refer to the side and top rolls as laterally and vertically acting rolls, it is obvious that such terms are relative and that the essential feature is that what we term the top roll shall exert its straightening force in a plane substantially at right angles to the plane in which the so called side rolls act, whatever that plane may be. In like manner, though wetrequently refer in the appended claims to the so called top and side rolls acting in the same transverse vertical plane, we mean by this that these co-acting rolls shall be so situated relatively that they apply to a given transverse cross-section of the rail simultantmrsly, straightening forces from the several directions necessary to straighten the rail. and in order to minimize the shock to the fiber of the metal, such straightening forces are applied gradually.

To apply the straightening forces in a given transverse cross section of the rail, it is preferable that the rolls be arranged in the same vertical plane, but-obviously it' they are in substantially the same plane, the results desired will he obtained.

Though we prefer to adjust the top rolls vertically and to provide the bottom rolls with the alining rail receiving grooves, obviously this arrangement may be reversed and the bottom rolls adjusted upwardly while the upper rolls carry the grooves. In.

like manner the grooves may be desi ned to fit the base or head of thera-ihthe latter being preferable. 7

We prefer to arrange the mill with a successive series of straightening mechanisms which gradually straighten the rail, but it to laterally adjust the units of each pair of will be understood that our invention will cover a greater or less number of such mechanisms than that shown or may even be embodied in a single mechanism comprising a pair of bottom grooved rolls and an inter mediate mechanism for vertically and laterally straightening the rails.

Having thus described our invention,what We claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a rail straightening mill, a series of spaced guide rolls having alining central grooves adapted to receive the rail, a series of vertically acting straightening rolls interposed between and co-acting with adjacent pairs of guide rolls, and laterally acting straightening rollsdisposed in a transverse vertical plane with cach of said verti' cally acting straightening rolls, substantially as described.

2. In a rail straightening mill, a series of spaced guide rolls having alining grooves adapted to receive the rail, and a series of rail straightening mechanisms interposed between the guide rolls, each of said mechanisms comprising means adapted to apply to the rail in substantially the same transverse vertical'plane and contemporaneously a vertical and from either direction a lat eral straightening force.

3 In a rail straightening mill, a series of spaced bottom rolls having alining grooves adapted to receivethe rail head, and a series (if rail straightening mechanisms interposed between the bottom rolls, each of said. mechanisms comprising three rolls adapted to simultaneously .apply a downward and a lateral straightening force to the rail in substantially the same transverse plane.

4. In a rail straightening mill, a series of spaced bottom rolls having alininggrooves adapted to receive the rail. head, a series of rail straightening mechanisms oneof which is interposed between each pair ofbottom rolls, each of said mechanisms comprising relatively adjustable rolls arranged in the same transverse vertical plane and adapted to simultaneously apply a downward and a lateral straightening force from either side to the rail, and means to adjust said mechanisms to take the curvature out of the rail gradually in steps as it moves through the mill.

5. In a mill for straightening rails which are curved with their heads on the shortest radius, a series of bottom rolls having alining grooves adapted to receive the railhead and which are jspaced decreasingfldistances apart toward the delivery end of the mill, a series of top straightening rolls, one of which is spaced equi-distantly between each pair of bottom rolls, means to adjustably mount said top rolls, a series of pairs of side straightenmg rolls, there being one'pair between each pa-ir of bottom rolls, and means side rolls.

6. In a straightening mill for rails, means to feed the rail into the mill, a series of. bottom rolls having alining grooves adapted to receive the rail, a series of rail straightening mechanisms, one of which is interposed between each pair of bottom rolls, said mechanisms comprising each i a vertically adjustable top roll and. a pair of laterally adjustable side rolls, means to adjust said top and side rolls, and inclined guides to direct the forward .end of the rail between the successive pairs of side rolls, substantially as described.

7.'In a rail straightening mill, a series of horizontally disposed guide rolls for the rail which have alining grooves adapted to receive the rail, a series of horizontally disposed straightening rolls spaced from and arranged 1n staggered relation to the guide "rolls said straightening rolls being arranged with their rail engaging faces gradually approaching the horizontal plane of ,the rail supporting surfaces of the guide rolls toward the discharge end of the mill,

and adjustable rolls to apply lateral straightening pressure to the rail in substantially the same transverse vertical plane that vertical straightening pressure is applied by' said horizontal straightening rolls, substantially as described.

8. In a straightening mill for rails, a base, a series of vertical housings mounted thereon and which are spaced gradually decreasing distances apart toward the discharge end of the mill, top straightening rolls, and means to vertically adjustably mount one in each opposite pair of bearings, side straightening rolls, a pair of which is disposed under each top roll, means to' laterally adjust the units of each pair of side rolls, a lining means to guide sait side'roil's in their adjustments, and bottom guide rolls which receive the rail and are spaced on gradually decreasing centers equi-distantly .between each pair of top rolls, said guide of the mill, adjustable top and side rolls which simulianeously engage and m conunction will sauhgrude rolls exertsimul- TIE i 1.0. In a 'ail, straightening mill having closely associated grooved guide rolls at its distal-large end and pairs of vertically disposed co-acting rolls which act laterally on the rail, there being a pair of such rolls disposed between each adjacent pair of guide rolls, means for mounting a pair of laterally acting rolls which comprise bearing blocks .for a pair of guide rolls, which blocks are relatively adjustable, bearings carried by said blocks for the pair of laterally acting rolls disposed between the mat rolls which are mounted in said bearing blocks, means to hold said guide rolls in alinement independently otthe adjustments o'ftheir said bearing blocks, and means to adjust said blocks, substantially as described.

11. In a rail-straightening mill, a series of bottom rolls having rail receiving grooves with their'rail supporting surfaces in alinement in a horizontal plane, said rolls being spaced on gradually decreasing centers toward the discharge end of the mill, at top and a pair of side straightening rolls interposed between and (co-acting with each pair of bottom rolls, said top'rolls as they approach th discharge end of the mill being set gradually closer to the said plane of said grtaoves in the bottom rolls, and the units at each pair of said rolls being set gradually closer together toward the discharge end mill, si'ibstantially as described.

12. In a rail straightening mill, means to p: ss a rail to be straightenedtherethrough, and a straightening mechanism to act on the rail comprising a pair of spaced rolls grooved to receive the rail to be straightened, a straightening roll having its axis parallel with the grooved rolls and disposed between them, said latter rail acting to force the rail against the grooved rolls .to straighten it in one longitudinal plane, and a pair of rolls which co-act with and are disposed between the said grooved rolls and in substantially the same transverse plane with said straightening roll and which are spaced apart to receive between them the rail, said latter rolls acting to straighten the rail in a longitudinal plane at right angles to the said first mentioned plane.

13. In a mill for straightening rails as they are passed therethrough, a pair of spaced rolls grooved to receive one side of the rail, a set of straightening rolls interposed substantially midway between the grooved rolls and comprising three rolls adapted to engage the other three sides of the rail in substantially the same transverse cross sectional plane, and'means toadjust said intermediate rolls to pressure against the rail.

In a rail straightening mill, means to straighten the rail as it is passed theretlircugh, rolls grooved to receive one side of the rail. rail straightening mechanism interposed between said grooved rolls and comprising rolls adapted to engage the other rcgula to their three faces of the rail in substantially the same transverse cross sectional plane, adjustable bearingsfor said straightening rolls, and means to ad ust thestraightemng rolls which are adapted to engage the web (it the rail to one side or the other of a center line of said grooved rolls, substantially as described.

15. In a rail straightening mill, roll mechanism to straighten the rail as it is passed through the mill, said mechanion comprising a series of spaced bottom rolls having alining grooves to receive the rail, a series of roll mechanisms interposedv between each pair of groove rolls and adapted to gradually apply straightening pressure to the rail in longitudinatplanes at right angles to each other, finishing rolls comprising a pair of side rolls which reeci\ e therail between them, and means to adjust said side rolls to one side or the other to the center line of the grooves in the bottom rolls.

16. In a rail straightening mill comprising aseries of spaced rolls having alining grooves to receive the rail, rail-straightening mechanisms interposed. between each pair of grooved rollswhich are arranged on gradually decreasing centers, the finishing grooved and straightening rolls being closely assembled, and adjustable bearings for the finishing grooved rolls and upon which bearings the finishing straightening rolls are also mounted.

17. In a rail straightening mill, means to straighten the rail as it is passed therethrough, said means comprising closely associated finishing rolls cmnprising spaced,

grooved bottom r0lls, a pair of side rolls and top straightening rolls interposed between said pair of finishing grooved rolls, the final pair of grooved rolls having a common bearing block on each side. which blocks are relatively adjustable, and vertical axes carried on said blocks upon which the final pair of side rolls are mounted, substantially as described,

18. In a rail straightening mill, a series of spaced guide rolls having alining grooves adapted toreceive the rail, rail straightening mechanisms interposed between each pair of guide rolls and comprising top and side rolls, means to adjust the top rolls at said mechanism up and down to apply pressure against the upper portion of the rail, and means to adjust the said rolls toward and from the center line of the grooves to LOO set said rolls to bear on the web and head of the rail to keep the line of the rail straight, said side rolls having axes upon which they are freely movable, as and for the purposes described.

19. In a rail straightening mill, a series of spaced guide ,rolls which have alining grooves to receive the rail to be straightened, inclined guides to direct the forward end of the rail into the grooves of successive rolls as the rail is passed through the mill, roller straightening mechanisms interposed be; tween each pair of grooved rolls, each mechanism comprising vertically adjustable top and side rolls, and means to adjust .said "side rolls to and from each other, the

rolls of each straightening mechanism being adapted to engage the rail in substantially the same transverse cross sectional plane;

20. In a rail straightening mill comprising grooved guide rolls disposed in the same plane and spaced on decreasing centers, of sets of top and laterally acting rolls, one of which'sets is disposed between each adja cent set of guide rolls, means to'mount the final pair of guide rolls which are closely associated, said means comprising a frame,

adapted to move toward and from each other about said axes, means to hold said blocks iii adjusted positions, and bearings vfor the pair of laterally acting rolls which are disposed between the pair of guide rolls 1n question, which bearings are mounted on said blocks and adjustable therewith, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we ailix our sigma tures in presence of two witnesses.

BENTON A. BASS. ROLLIN- D. osed'on Witnesses:

R. L. JOHNSTON, J r., J. H. BARKER. 

